Cooper (0-2) vs. Abilene High (1-1)

7:30 P.M. FRIDAY * SHOTWELL STADIUM * KHXS-FM 102.7/KTLT-FM 98.1

What's riding on the game: The two teams meet for the 58th time since Cooper started playing varsity football in 1961. The Cougars, who lead the series 33-23-1, snapped a three-game losing streak against Abilene High with a 49-35 victory last season. Tyrees Whitfield, now at Midwestern State, rolled up 332 total yards and scored a school-record seven touchdowns. The Eagles scored 28 points in the final 4:08 as the Coogs got sloppy toward the end. AHS has won 11 of the past 14 meetings.

Last week: Grapevine cashed two Cooper turnovers into touchdowns in a 31-13 victory in Denton. Abilene High beat Lee in a come-from-behind victory on a last-minute TD to win 31-24 in Midland.

Cougars update: A year ago, Cooper beat the Eagles for a 3-0 start. Now, the Coogs need a victory to avoid falling to 0-3 for the first time since going 0-4 to begin the 2014 season. First-year coach Aaron Roan also is looking for his first victory as a head coach. Senior RB Nic Bailey had a career-high 230 total yards and two TDs in only his second varsity game last week. Bailey ran 20 times for 126 yards, including a 41-yard TD run, and he also had a 65-yard TD catch and finished with three catches for 104 yards. Bailey has scored three of his team’s four TDs. Because the Coogs play both AHS and Wylie for the first time in program history, they have a chance to win a mythical city championship.

Eagles update: In what most would call a down year, the Eagles stumbled into the Crosstown Showdown last year with a 0-2 record after being blown out in back-to-back games. This year, the Eagles have been in both games with chances to win in the final minutes. The Eagles were unsuccessful at Amarillo Tascosa but completed a last-minute drive to win a much-needed game at Midland Lee. The Eagles are riding the hot hand of backup QB Kallin Sipe, who threw for a career-high 264 yards and two touchdowns. Sipe was able to get on the same page with his top two targets Qua Hill ( five catches, 81 yards, TD) and Reese Pettijohn (seven catches, 141 yards, TD) against Lee. The Eagles have struggled to run the ball effectively. Both Phonzo Dotson and Esai Jaques have been held in check in both games.

What the Cougars need to do to win: Cooper needs to develop consistency on offense, especially in the passing game, and protect the ball overall. Turnovers doomed the team in last week’s loss. The Coogs must do a better job handling snaps, too, whether it’s at quarterback or special teams. Cooper is averaging seven fumbles per game. Despite losing only two, the snap problems are hurting the team in field position, and, in the case of special teams, it's costing Cooper points, too. Defensively, Cooper must keep the game close for an offense that's averaging only two touchdowns per game.

What the Eagles need to do to win: The Eagles need improved production from their offensive line, which is struggling to create any running lanes for Jaques and Dotson. The team's leading rusher is Sipe, who's gotten most of those yards on scramble plays. Most of the Eagles' offense is predicated on the threat of the run but if Abilene High continues to struggle in that area, Sipe's passing ability could be neutralized. Defensively, the Eagles have been great outside of the last three minutes of the Midland Lee game, when the Rebels scored twice to erase a 23-10 deficit. The defense will need to be stingy and make the struggling Cougars' offense go the length of the field.